St. Luke University Parish

St. Luke University Parish is a Catholic campus ministry to Grand Valley State University, as well as the local parish in Georgetown Township, Michigan. Construction of a new parish in 2017, included a flexible worship space to accommodate 400 people, classrooms, meeting and social rooms, a nursery, and a three-suite rectory. As a campus ministry, it was important that the new church design reflected the brand, culture, and style of the experience it offers. Knowing that the church facilities are part of the first impression to what the ministry is like, the parish priests wanted to create transparency that revealed the life and activity inside the church and maintain the connection to the outdoors. Their vision included using materials such as glass, wood, and concrete.

The building’s design features an iconic roof shape with an interior building structure made of wood. With an abundance of natural light and polished concrete floors the modern aesthetic is warm and inviting. The church was also designed to have flexible worship space that could accommodate smaller services during the week as well as larger services during holidays and weekends with a moveable wall panel system. The design created the opportunity to split the adjacent spaces into multi-purpose functions for classrooms, dining, parties and the growth of the congregation.